Dislike & Love - My New Life

*Note: My "new" life is in reference to the fact that A LOT of changes have taken place the past couple months and especially this week. i.e. Graduating from college, starting a new job, my parents leaving for the Missionary Training Center, moving into my apartment, having a boyfriend (I still need to introduce you), quitting my "student job" of 5 years, being in a brand new ward, new blog design ;) etc.

THIS WEEK I DISLIKE:

Not eating breakfast

(and sometimes lunch),

Not having a bathtub in my apartment

(Week 1 isn't even over and I'm already having withdrawals),

Not sleeping quite enough

(Yikes! I'm just asking for illness. Knock on wood),

Gas prices,

Living in a (soon-to-be-organized) mess,

Working from 7a-9p,

Driving and driving and driving,

The convenience of eating out vs. the inconvenience of working out,

- - -

THIS WEEK I LOVE:

My loving and supportive family & friends,

My “New” Life,

These long and gloriously hot summer days,

Shopping for my own groceries

(I knew I would enjoy that),

Easy hairstyles

(Thanks to my magic wand...curling iron),

Counting down to the Harry Potter 7 Part 2 Midnight Showing,

(21 DAYS!)

Converting people to Harry Potter,

The iPod I lovingly refer to as "myPod,"

The peace I get from FHE and Temple night

(P.S. I love my ward),

Reading Il Libro di Mormon,

My brother's GPS system,

Having the coolest parents in the universe,

Midnight calls after long work days,

Chalkboard mouse pads,

Having a cubicle,

Reading children's books out loud with a cute boy,

The awesome/hilarious people I get to intern/work with

- - -

I think it's fair to say, as I weigh the outcome of these lists, that, though life isn't perfect and I'm still working out the kinks in my new life, the blessings continue to come as I am trying to do my best and I still happen to very much love this beautiful Life that I've been blessed with...in all it's crazy freshly newness!

Add "run-on" sentences to my Love list.

I'm real good at those!

May your "Loves" always outweigh your "Dislikes"

Dislike & Love - Part VII

Today I Dislike:

scrambled eggs that smell like fish,

stress-induced breakouts,

the rumbly in my tumbly

(Winnie the Pooh reference? Anyone?),

my pre-backbrace-&-violin-lessons-posture that's creeping back,

waking up at 5:30am,

being treated like "one of the guys",

the Linux operating system

(that's nerd-speak for "really lame computers"),

my daily (YEP! EVERY DAY!) headaches,

hitting the funny bone in my LEG (didn't know my leg had one of the those),

ex-people that insist upon rubbing their relationships in my face

(Because, frankly my dear I don’t give a darn),

. . .

Today I Love:

the fact that my bangs are almost long enough to tuck behind my ear

(WHOOP! WHOOP! The hair! It grows!),

young men that are understanding,

my spinner CTR ring - most entertaining piece of jewelry I've ever had

(it also doubles as a flirtation device - what my friends and I call "F.D.'s"),

the thought of getting off my shift in 7 minutes!,

that The Biggest Loser is on tonight,

living with the best parents on the planet

I get the feeling I'm going to miss seeing them 24/7...someday,

my BFF Travis,

the kind and talented folks at The Design Farm,

my leather aviator jacket,

that I got two of my sisters-in-law to read "Fifteen" by Beverly Cleary

potentially the cutest, most innocent love story on the planet,

Kid History on YouTube,

all y'all for stopping by and being my friends!

Ah. My Love List is longer than my Dislike List...just as it should be!

Dislike & Love - Part VI

Today I Dislike:

band-aids,

skinny-dipping hobos

(yes, you read that right),

nosebleeds,

my unsatisfied apple craving,

going home,

having one more photo shoot to edit,

the thought of unpacking.

. . .

Today I Love:

squir-rels (say with British accent),

teaching Madre what the phrase, "I'm down with that" means,

talking to cute boys on the phone,

my trusty Nikon,

dogs the size of horses,

outdoor malls,

being the youngest (aka getting "spoiled"),

panini deliciosity,

orange toenails that match the hotel furniture and carpet,

exploring new and exciting places,

distinguished business men reading "Fable Haven,"

FINALLY being healthy after 4 weeks of sore throat obnoxiousness,

people-watching,

SUV's and GPS's (and acronyms),

getting weird looks for taking pictures of...well...basically everything,

walking around outside lots and lots.

. . .

YAY for the Loves and Dislikes of Boulder, Colorado!

Dislike & Love - Part V

Today I Dislike...

wrinkly cherry tomatoes,

being sick for the 3rd time in a week and a half,

the 50 degrees below 0-ness of the AC at my workplace,

not being on vacation (please, anywhere but here),

how long it's taking to export John & Sara's wedding video,

peely sunburns and farmer's tans,

Madre's green breakfast smoothies (shhh, don't tell!),

not being outside cloud-gazing,

the thought of having to clean my room,

. . .

Today I Love...

my new vest from Charlotte Russe,

the lovely reality that I'm off work in 20 mintues!!!!,

the fact that none of my nails have broken yet

(celebrate the small victories, I always say),

using a brand new stick of deodorant,

the liquid magic of Dove Damage Therapy shampoo & conditioner,

the glamtabulous present I got for Nicole's birthday,

eating healthy (that excludes wrinkly cherry tomatoes),

wearing makeup to work for once,

having most of the things on my To Do List checked off,

reminiscing through boxes of old photos,

shimmery orange nail polish, kaPOW!,

being asked to tend Bebe during my brother's wedding (YAY!)

May all of your Loves far outweigh your Dislikes!

Dislike & Love - Part IV

Today I Dislike...

the anticipation of upcoming vacations,

the anticipation of getting off work,

just plain old anticipation in general,

people that hock loogies into public drinking fountains,

the freezing AC in my work building on full blast,

my hair's inability to grow as fast as I'd like it to,

. . .

Today, I Love...

not getting on Facebook,

Trident Layers' Wild Strawberry + Tangy Citrus flavor

finishing the last book in the Percy Jackson series (finally),

lovely blue skies,

watching "Sabrina The Teenage Witch" re-runs with my sister,

cleaning my room while listening to my "Energy Sounds Like..." playlist,

the accomplished smell of warm, clean, folded laundry,

driving home in silence and just thinking,

the long version of Pride & Prejudice,

the fact that I got an -A in my hardest class (YAY!),

leading a productive life even when it's Summer,

the happiness that I get from being busy and stretching myself.

. . .

“When I'm not afraid to fail, I wont.

When I'm not afraid to fall down, falling down won't feel like failure.

I have fallen down enough to get more comfortable with it,

to know how productive it can be, how necessary it is to growth.

Still, when I sense the ground beneath me giving way,

I have to remind myself that it's OK if I falter.

I have to remind myself that it's more than OK!”

~Jan Denise~

Remember to make sure your "Love List" is always longer than your "Dislike List," because Life is for Living, Loving, Laughing and Learning!

I love all you peoples! xoxo